Conventional dental operatories generally include an articulating dental chair for supporting a patient in a variety of positions to facilitate the performance of dental procedures and operations. For example, dental chairs are generally adapted to be raised and lowered relative to a floor surface, and to be moved between a first orientation where a back cushion is inclined relative to a seat cushion to support the patient in a seated position, and a second orientation where the seat cushion is reclined to support the patient in a generally supine position.
In some dental chairs, the seat cushion is supported by a chair frame and the back cushion is coupled to an upright support that moves relative to the chair frame along a predetermined path or track (i.e., the support does more than merely pivot with respect to the chair frame). This upright support is sometimes referred to as a “carriage.” A lower portion of the carriage is typically received between sidewalls of the chair frame. The carriage slides relative to the chair frame between the sidewalls and along the predetermined path to move the dental chair between the first and second orientations mentioned above.
One of the challenges associated with this type of dental chair relates to coupling the carriage to the chair frame. The carriage should be coupled (i.e., connected) to the chair frame in a manner that allows movement between the first and second orientations without a significant amount of “slop” or “play” between the components. In other words, the carriage should remain relative stable relative to the chair frame as the seatback is moved through its range of motion (both from the first orientation to the second orientation and vice-versa).
To address this concern, manufacturers may design the carriage, chair frame, and various other associated components to have relatively tight tolerances. For example, the lower portion of the carriage may be received between the sidewalls of the chair frame with little clearance. However, designing components with relatively tight tolerances increases the potential for poor fits or mismatches between the components.
Therefore, a dental chair that provides an improved fit between a carriage and a chair frame without requiring relatively small tolerances is highly desirable.